07 January 2006

Row over MLA's payment 'threats'

The NI secretary has been criticised for saying MLAs' payments may be stopped if no progress is made towards restoring devolution by the summer.

Peter Hain said he may halt salaries and allowances if there is no movement.

Alliance leader David Ford said it was a "cheap shot" whilst SDLP leader Mark Durkan called it a "flaky threat".

Ian Paisley Jnr, DUP, said unionists had "no appetite" to share power with republicans. Sinn Fein's Gerry Adams said the suspension was "not tenable".

Last month, Mr Hain said real movement was needed if assembly elections due in 2007 "are to have any meaning".

However, in an interview for BBC Radio Ulster's Inside Politics programme on Saturday, he said he may go even further.

Mr Hain said assembly members were getting "£32,000 salaries... to do a job which they won't take responsibility for doing".

"I'm not giving a particular month, but I am saying that if we haven't seen progress by the summer, the first decision I'm going to have to make is over continued payment of salaries and also allowances," he said.

Mr Hain said assembly members must take responsibility

David Ford refuted the criticism saying: "For the secretary of state to talk about MLAs 'refusing' to do the job for which they were elected is blatantly untrue.

"Alliance MLAs work to represent their constituents. We have attended every meeting to which ministers have invited us - and many more have been requested.

"We have put forward constructive and positive suggestions for getting the assembly up and running."